An-Najah National University
Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies
Tel: (972) (9) 2345113 Fax: (972)(9) 2345982
Nablus – Palestinian: P.O. Box 7, 707
Email: Polls@najah.edu hussein596@yahoo.com

Results of Palestinian Public Opinion Poll
No. 45
7-9 October 2012

Following are the results of the Palestinian Public Opinion Poll no. 45
conducted by the Center for Opinion Polls and Survey Studies at An-Najah
National University during the period from 7-9 October 2012. The University
sponsors all polls conducted by its Center.

The sample included 1360 persons whose age group is 18 and above and who
have the right to vote. The enclosed questionnaire was distributed on 860
persons from the West Bank and 500 persons from the Gaza Strip. The sample
was drawn randomly and the margin of error is about +/-3%; still 2.5% of the
members of the sample refused to answer the questionnaire.

___________________________________________________________________
The opinions represented in the results reflect those of the study; they do
not, by any means, represent the opinion of An-Najah National University.

Results

Now that 19 years have elapsed since the signing of the Oslo Accord
between Israel and the PA, what do you think the PA should do?
Total
Introduce some amendments 38.8
Cancelling it 47.6
Keep it as it is 5.1
No opinion/I do not know 8.6
Total 100.0

In your opinion who is the main beneficiary of the Oslo Accord?
Total
Israel 67.4
The PA 7.9
Both 18.4
No opinion/I do not know 6.4
Total 100.0

Do you think that it is wise for the Palestinian leadership to officially
announce the end of the Oslo accord?
Total
Yes 51.4
No 35.3
No opinion/I do not know 13.3
Total 100.0

Do you think that Israel will agree with amending the Oslo Accord?
Total
Yes 17.6
No 73.5
No opinion/I do not know 9.0
Total 100.0

Which domains of the Oslo accord do you think the PA should ask amending?
Total

Defining the period in which a Palestinian state is established
Yes: 67.6 No: 24.2 No Opinion: 8.2

Defining the terms of reference of the negotiations
Yes: 61.0 No: 29.1 No Opinion: 9.9

Amending the Paris Protocol
Yes: 59.5 No: 23.0 No Opinion: 17.5

In case the Oslo Accord is cancelled, what do you expected Israel will do?
Total
Reoccupy the West Bank and impose a military rule 52.3
Find a new model similar to the previous Village League model 31.2
No opinion/I do not know 16.5
Total 100.0

What do you attribute the failure to implement the Oslo accord to?
Total
The Israeli position 58.3
The Palestinian position 7.6
Both positions 28.6
No opinion/I do not know 5.5
Total 100.0

In your opinion who is the big loser in case the Oslo Accord is
cancelled?
Total
Israeli 31.5
The Palestinians 40.1
Both 23.8
No opinion/I do not know 4.5
Total 100.0

Do you support or reject the creation of one state on historic Palestine
for both Palestinians and Israelis?
Total
I support 23.2
I reject 72.1
No opinion/I do not know 4.6
Total 100.0

Do you support or reject dissolving the PA?
Total
I support 35.7
I reject 58.5
No opinion/I do not know 5.8
Total 100.0

Do you consider yourself optimistic or pessimistic towards the success of
the peace process between the Palestinian Authority and Israel?
Total
Optimistic 25.6
Pessimistic 71.0
No opinion/I do not know 3.5
Total 100.0

Following the protests that took place in Palestinian streets because of the
economic situation of the PA, Israel announced lately paying part of the tax
money that Israel withholds for the PA. What do you think the reason behind
this move?
Total
Fear of the collapse of the PA 31.3
Fear among Israelis of a possible third intifada 37.6
International pressure on Israel 26.7
No opinion/I do not know 4.3
Total 100.0

Do you think that the PA will collapse if enough funds become unavailable to
it?
Total
Yes 70.6
No 25.5
No opinion/I do not know 3.9
Total 100.0

The PA announced that it will change US$ 200 million of its debts into bonds
to reduce loans that the PA takes from banks. Do you support or reject this
move?
Total
I support 58.9
I reject 26.3
No opinion/I do not know 14.8
Total 100.0

It is known that the PA is facing a huge financial deficit because some Arab
countries did not give the financial support that the Arab summit
conferences approved and because aids from some foreign countries were
stopped. In your opinion how can the financial deficit be reduced?

Turning some employees to early retirement Yes: 45.4 No: 51.5
No Opinion: 3.2
Increasing taxes and imposing new ones Yes: 6.7 No: 90.6 No
Opinion: 2.7
Going back to peace talks so that foreign aid can be resumed Yes:
59.7 No: 36.3 No Opinion: 4.0
Asking Arab countries to pay the financial dues that they committed
themselves to Yes: 87.6 No: 9.3 No Opinion: 3.1

There is a current on-going talk relating to defining the minimum wage in
Palestine. In your opinion what should the minimum wage be?
Mean
West Bank 2501.7
Gaza Strip 2036.4
Total 2330.7

Do you think submitting a bid to the UN General assembly by the PLO and the
PA for the recognition of Palestine as a non-member observer state is a good
move that serves the Palestinian cause?
Total
Yes 67.6
No 25.0
No opinion/I do not know 7.4
Total 100.0

How do you think submitting a bid to the UN General Assembly to recognize
Palestine as a non-member observer state will affect the Palestinian cause?
Total
Positively 53.2
No effect to that 21.3
Negatively 19.3
No opinion/I do not know 6.3
Total 100.0

Do you think that the UN General Assembly will vote in favor of granting
Palestine a non-member observer state?
Total
Yes 49.3
No 40.0
No opinion/I do not know 10.7
Total 100.0

If the USA votes against recognizing Palestine as a non-member observer
state at the UN General Assembly, do you see the vote as an American
encouragement to the Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories?
Total
Yes 84.9
No 9.0
No opinion/I do not know 6.2
Total 100.0

Are optimistic or pessimistic towards holding and implementing a
reconciliation agreement between Fateh and Hamas in the near future?
Total
Optimistic 49.9
Pessimistic 46.0
No opinion/I do not know 4.1
Total 100.0

Do you think that the implementation of the reconciliation agreement will
hinder or support the peace process?
Total
It will hinder peace process 23.3
It will support the peace process 49.6
It will not have any effect 25.2
No opinion/I do not know 2.1
Total 100.0

In your opinion, which of the following is the most powerful method to
solve the problem of the Palestinian division?
Total
Foreign political pressure 12.9
Arab political pressure 11.8
Pressure from the Palestinian public 72.7
No opinion/I do not know 2.6
Total 100.0

Do you think that the surrounding Arab and international circumstances
necessitate conducting national reconciliation between Fateh and Hamas?
Total
Yes 72.0
No 22.9
No opinion/I do not know 5.1
Total 100.0

Do you think that the succession of Dr. Mohammad Mursi to the rule in Egypt
will lead to an increase in the power of Hamas in the Gaza Strip?
Total
Yes 57.3
No 29.6
No opinion/I do not know 13.2
Total 100.0

Do you think that Egypt is still an honest broker in the Palestinian
reconciliation/
Total
Yes 49.8
No 37.7
No opinion/I do not know 12.5
Total 100.0

The government of Hamas announced that there will be a free zone created
between Egypt and the Gaza Strip after closing all tunnels. Do you support
or reject the creation of a free zone?
Total
I support 79.3
I reject 16.0
No opinion/I do not know 4.7
Total 100.0

Do you think that Egypt one way or another will eventually annex the Gaza
Strip?
Total
Yes 24.0
No 67.4
No opinion/I do not know 8.6
Total 100.0

The PA decided conducting local council and municipality elections in the
West Bank only on October 20th, 2012. Do you support or reject conducting
the elections on this date?
Total
I support 69.2
I reject 22.8
No opinion/I do not know 8.0
Total 100.0

Will you participate in or boycott the local council and municipality
elections that will be conducted this month?
West Bank
I will participate 66.8
I will boycott 33.2
Total 100.0

If you intend to boycott the coming local council and municipality
elections, what is your reason?
West Bank
Because Hamas is boycotting them 8.5
Because these elections are not important 50.4
Because these elections are conducted on the basis of electoral lists
23.4
No opinion/I do not know 17.7
Total 100.0

Do you support or reject the idea of an electoral list on the basis of
family relations?
West Bank
I support 39.1
I reject 53.8
No opinion/I do not know 7.1
Total 100.0

Are you content with the electoral lists in the area of your habitat?
West Bank
I am content 46.9
I am not content 37.9
No opinion/I do not know 15.1
Total 100.0

In the coming local council and municipality elections which will be
conducted on October 20th , 2012, who do you vote for?
West Bank
A block that represents the family or clan 15.1
An independent ticket 7.0
A ticket from the left 1.9
A ticket from Fateh 19.6
A national independent ticket 5.8
An Islamic independent ticket 3.1
I will not participate in the elections 31.5
I have not decided yet 16.1
Total 100.0

What changes, in your opinion, will the elections make in the performance of
local councils and municipalities?
West Bank
They will increase the work efficiency of the councils and municipalities
27.9
They will urge the newly elected members to work in a better way 22.5
They will not make any change 42.9
No opinion/I do not know 6.7
Total 100.0

Do you prefer conducting elections on the basis electoral lists or on the
basis of persons?
West Bank
Electoral lists 24.6
Persons 39.5
Mixed 26.3
No opinion/I do not know 7.8
Total 100.0

If presidential elections are held in the present time, to whom from among
the following do you give your vote?
Total
An independent candidate 10.7
A candidate from the left 3.2
A candidate from Hamas 6.3
A candidate from Fateh 31.3
A national independent candidate 7.1
An Islamic independent candidate 3.7
I will not participate in the elections 16.8
I have not decided yet 21.0
Total 100.0

If new PLC elections are conducted, whom will you vote for?
Total
An independent ticket 10.0
A ticket from the left 3.4
A ticket from Hamas 6.5
A ticket from Fateh 32.2
A national independent ticket 6.8
An Islamic independent ticket 4.6
I will not participate in the elections 16.1
I have not decided yet 20.3
Total 100.0

If new legislative elections are to be held today, which of the following
will win?
Total
Independent Islamists bloc 5.2
Independent Nationalist bloc 11.0
Fateh bloc 44.5
Hamas bloc 11.9
A bloc from leftist organizations 1.9
No opinion/I do not know 25.5
Total 100.0

In case PLC elections are conducted, do you prefer conducting them on the
basis of electoral lists or on the basis of persons?
Total
Electoral lists 24.5
Persons 35.2
Mixed 30.7
No opinion/I do not know 9.6
Total 100.0

If elections are conducted in the Palestinian Territories at the present
time, do you expect that they will be fair and unbiased?
Total
Yes 56.8
No 33.0
No opinion/I do not know 10.2
Total 100.0

Do the current political, security and economic circumstances compel you to
desire emigrating abroad?
Total
Yes 37.8
No 58.8
No opinion/I do not know 3.5
Total 100.0
West Bank
Yes 32.1
No 66.6
No opinion/I do not know 1.3
Total 100.0
Gaza Strip
Yes 47.6
No 45.2
No opinion/I do not know 7.2
Total 100.0

Are you worried about your life under the present circumstances?
Total
Yes 49.9
No 46.4
No opinion/I do not know 3.8
Total 100.0

Are you pessimistic or optimistic towards the general Palestinian
situation at this stage?
Total
Optimistic 32.7
Pessimistic 63.3
No opinion/I do not know 4.0
Total 100.0

Under the present circumstances, do you feel that you, your family and
your properties are safe?
Total
Yes 27.6
May be 38.3
No 32.9
No opinion/I do not know 1.1
Total 100.0

Which of the following political affiliations do you support?
PARTY Total
People’s Party 1.0
Democratic Front 1.2
Islamic Jihad 2.1
Fateh 39.5
Hamas 9.1
Fida 0.2
Popular Front 3.3
Palestinian National Initiative 0.9
I am an independent nationalist 9.0
I am an independent Islamist 4.0
None of the above 29.0
Others 0.7
Total 100.0